Conquest (43 page)
Julian jumped into the conversation. “Just so long as your body and voice are still here. No one’s interested in your mind, anyway.”
Jesse’s gaze turned to his keyboardist and pianist, Julian Forrester. Julian looked at him with a grin reaching his light blue eyes. The Julliard-trained classical pianist completely shocked him a few months ago when he traded in his perfectly groomed ponytail for a cut that made his pale blond hair look wild and messy. But no matter how rock-starred out Julian tried to get, he never could shake his distinguished air.
Julian, Kenny, and Brandon all burst out laughing. “That’s highly debatable,” Julian said.
Jesse allowed a good-humored glare to pass over the three of them. His ears didn’t catch the high laugh he was so familiar with from the other person in the room. He turned toward his drummer, Trish O’Connell. She sat with her back to them all at a small table, the fingers of her left hand expertly twirling a drumstick. Her dark red hair cascaded down her back in a braid. A white tank top patterned with pink roses clung tightly to her curves and revealed her toned arms.
Trish glanced over her shoulder at him. “Sorry. I’ve got my mind on other things at the moment.”
Jesse turned when he heard the dressing room door open. His smile returned brighter than earlier as his eyes locked with the brilliant azure gaze of the third, and most important, person he knew he could always depend on, Evan Arden.
To headline his own sold-out tour was a dream achieved for him. To be Evan’s opening act on his
Addiction World Tour
, surpassed it. Nothing compared to his joy at being with Evan every day, every night, watching him perform, learning from him, loving him.
For him, Evan’s music, his voice, his gift, was a source of unending inspiration.
Jesse coasted his gaze down Evan’s body. A light blue shirt of fine, thin silk formed around Evan’s lean, fit torso. With half the buttons undone, he admired Evan’s smooth chest, the curves of his solid pectorals. Black leather pants hugged his narrow hips and cloaked his legs down to a pair of black snakeskin boots.
No matter the event or situation, when Evan made an appearance, all eyes, all cameras, were drawn to him. His mannerisms spoke of sophistication, his charm enthralled all who spoke to him. For those fortunate enough to have his dazzling blue eyes focus their attention on them, everything else in the world seemed miniscule and unimportant compared to their azure beauty. And for all their days and hours together, Evan still managed to take his breath away.
“Hey,” Jesse said, his voice soft.
Evan closed the dressing room door behind him, muting the sounds of the audience chanting for entertainment. He walked toward Jesse, his eyes moving over him. Jesse wore a pair of stylishly faded Diesel jeans that fell off the tops of his slender hips, and the tight, v-neck, dark purple t-shirt gave his indigo eyes a violet tint. His Jesse, his savior, his shining warrior. The only person who knew all his secrets, who had seen all his flaws, who he trusted completely and fully.
“Point proven!” Julian called out, Kenny and Brandon laughing.
“That’s not what you were supposed to say!” Jesse said over their snickering.
“Well, you have to set the scenario up better.” Evan dipped his head down, putting his lips to Jesse’s neck, and laid gentle kisses upon it. He drifted one hand lower on Jesse’s back, his fingers traced the curves of his ass. “Like how long has it been since we’ve had sex? Or what are you using your mind for when I’m supposed to appreciate it?” He raised his head to meet Jesse’s eyes. “Are you using your brilliance to create beautiful music, or are you babbling about old gods and ancient people? Because if it’s the first, we could not have had sex for months and I would still appreciate your mind. But if it’s the latter and we haven’t had sex within twenty-four hours, then I might be forced to put something thick, long, and hard in your mouth to express my appreciation for your other qualities.”
Jesse’s attempt to maintain a serious countenance withered under a chuckle slipping from his throat.
Jesse gazed out the dark tinted window of the limousine, his hand on Evan’s thigh, Evan’s hand resting atop his. The streets of Evanston were quiet despite it being late afternoon. With only two weeks until Christmas, snow was piled up along the edges of the road, ice coated the branches of the trees in a crystalline sheen. The grayish-white sky threatened more snow for the evening.
It seemed surreal to him, how different it all looked covered in winter’s cloak. He wondered why his heart was beating a nervous cadence, why it felt like he was going home with Evan for the first time. Maybe, because in a way, he was. They hadn’t returned home since being reunited. Whenever they had time off on the road, they always stayed in the town they were in or went ahead to the next destination and relaxed in the hotel or explored the area. Coming home together solidified things were truly as they were meant to be.
They stepped over the threshold into the mansion. Jesse stopped in the entrance room, feeling a weight he hadn’t realized was in his heart lift. He took a tentative step forward, then another. Beneath him, the dark hardwood floor was polished to where his shoes reflected in it. The walls paneled in large wooden rectangles of rich brown traveled up to the vaulted ceiling. Across from him, the broad flight of wooden stairs were the same rich deep brown as the panels and the woodwork that edged the Gothic peaked open doorways, one to the right of the stairs leading into the kitchen, further to the right another opened to the family room, and the dining room to the left.
Jesse walked to the stairs and rested his hand on the banister, the wood smooth and cool under his hand. He heard the door shut and turned to see their bags piled inside and Evan standing at the security system keypad watching the limo make its way down the drive on the monitor so he could close the gates behind it. Achilles, claws clicking on the wood, walked past him with his nose to the floor in an exploration of the house. Jesse looked back to the stairs, his gaze drifting up their height where he knew the master bedroom was.
Evan moved behind him and embraced him around the waist. He touched his lips to the back of Jesse’s neck in a whisper soft kiss. “Welcome home, gorgeous.”
THE TREVOR PROJECT
The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Every day, The Trevor Project saves lives though its free and confidential helpline, its website and its educational services. If you or a friend are feeling lost or alone call The Trevor Helpline. If you or a friend are feeling lost, alone, confused or in crisis, please call The Trevor Helpline. You’ll be able to speak confidentially with a trained counselor 24/7.
THE GAY MEN ’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROJECT
Founded in 1994, The Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project is a grassroots, non-profit organization founded by a gay male survivor of domestic violence and developed through the strength, contributions and participation of the community. The Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project supports victims and survivors through education, advocacy and direct services. Understanding that the serious public health issue of domestic violence is not gender specific, we serve men in relationships with men, regardless of how they identify, and stand ready to assist them in navigating through abusive relationships. GMDVP Helpline: 800.832.1901
On the Web: http://gmdvp.org/
THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION/GLAAD EN ESPAÑOL
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (
GLAAD
) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
On the Web: http://www.glaad.org/
GLAAD
en español:
If you’re a GLBT and questioning student heading off to university, should know that there are resources on campus for you. Here’s just a sample:
US Local GLBT college campus organizations
http://dv-8.com/resources/us/local/campus.html
GLBT Scholarship Resources
http://tinyurl.com/6fx9v6
Syracuse University
http://lgbt.syr.edu/
Texas A&M
http://glbt.tamu.edu/
Tulane University
http://www.oma.tulane.edu/LGBT/Default.htm
University of Alaska
http://www.uaf.edu/agla/
University of California, Davis
http://lgbtrc.ucdavis.edu/
University of California, San Francisco
http://lgbt.ucsf.edu/
University of Colorado
http://www.colorado.edu/glbtrc/
University of Florida
http://www.dso.ufl.edu/multicultural/lgbt/
University of Hawaiÿi, Mnoa
http://manoa.hawaii.edu/lgbt/
University of Utah
http://www.sa.utah.edu/lgbt/
University of Virginia
http://www.virginia.edu/deanofstudents/lgbt/
Vanderbilt University
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/lgbtqi/
